Community Programs & Services

Cities, townships and counties in the seven-county area are required by the Metropolitan Land Planning Act to prepare comprehensive plans for the future of their communities. These plans show how the community will meet its needs in the coming years for transportation facilities, wastewater service, natural resource protection, parks and housing.

The Council helps communities meet the state requirements as they plan for the future. The Council provides information and assistance to coordinate communities’ comprehensive plans with regional transportation, wastewater and park systems and other regional policies.

Council staff

Coordinate review of local comprehensive land use plans and environmental documents
Provide professional planning and technical assistance
Offer cities assistance for implementing local plans and programs, and help in resolving issues

Resources for communities

The Council provides communities with a hefty tool kit to help them plan their future. The tools include:

Local Planning Handbook
Staff support from sector representatives and technical staff>
Forms, templates & worksheets
Guide for Transit-Oriented Development
Customized 'system statements' for each community
Community profiles with demographic, housing and other data.

Details about these tools are available on the Planning Assistance Resources page.

Support, resources, coordination

In addition to providing planning assistance, the Council:

Supports communities in cleaning up polluted sites for redevelopment, expanding affordable housing, and carrying out their development plans through the Livable Communities program.
Plans and administers funds for the region’s nationally renowned system of regional parks and trails.
Coordinates affordable housing opportunities for low-income individuals and families.
Compiles and analyzes data about the region’s demographics, its economy, development trends, and Census information.
Provides data from a geographic information system (GIS), and staff support for MetroGIS, a regional collaborative of local, regional and state governments that promotes sharing of geographic data.